(CNN) – A New Jersey State Assembly committee on Friday released a large batch of more than 2,000 pages of documents that are part of its investigation of top appointees to Gov. Chris Christie who closed down access lanes in September to the country's busiest bridge as an alleged act of political retribution.

CNN dug through the documents that shed more light on the scandal. Here's what we found:

-E-mail messages between top officials of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reveal that another senior aide to Christie was aware of concerns that the bridge closure was not part of an ongoing traffic study.

Patrick Foye, the transportation agency's executive director, wrote a scathing e-mail that expressed concerns lane closures on the George Washington Bridge – which snarled traffic in Fort Lee – did not follow protocol or and created "dangers to the public interest."

Regina Egea, Christie's director of the authorities unit and a member of his senior staff, was forward the e-mail three hours after it was sent on September 9.

-Messages exchanged between two former officials of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey claimed that Christie's top communications adviser had been monitoring the media reaction weeks after the controversial decision to close several traffic lanes leading from New Jersey into New York in September.

"Comella didn't think much of the story. Said no one was paying attention," Baroni wrote to David Wildstein.

Wildstein was then the director of interstate capital projects for the Port Authority on October 2.

-In a terse email, the executive director of the New York and New Jersey Port Authority expressed anger for not being told about the lane closures in New Jersey that lead into the George Washington Bridge and used his authority to immediately override the decision four days after the traffic patterns were altered.

He also expressed concern they may have resulted in critically slow emergency response time and may have violated the law.

"Reversing over 25 years of PA (Port Authority) GWB (George Washington Bridge) operations, the three lanes in Fort Lee eastbound to the GWB were reduced to one lane on Monday of this week without notifying Fort Lee, the communication public we serve," wrote Patrick Foye, the executive director, on September 13. "I am appalled by the lack of process, failure to inform our customers and Fort Lee and most of all by the dangers created to the public interest."

In his e-mail, which was sent to a number of high ranking officials on the Port Authority, Foye said, "I pray that no life has been lost or trip of a hospital- or hospice-bound patient delayed."

He also wrote that he believes the "hasty and ill-advised decision violates Federal Law and the laws of both States."

"I will get to the bottom of this abusive decision which violated everything this agency stands for," he wrote.

The email – part of the investigation into why top advisers to Christie orchestrated the lane closures on the country's busiest bridge in an alleged act of political retribution – resulted in many e-mails back and forth between Port Authority officials.

Baroni, who resigned in December over the controversy, replied to the e-mail on stating he was "on way to office to discuss" and that there "can be no public discourse" on the controversy.

In response, Foye tersely wrote, "Bill that's precisely the problem: there has been no public discourse on this."

After the Foye e-mail was leaked to the Wall Street Journal in September, David Samson, the Christie appointed chairman of the authority, wrote to another official on September 17, "I am told the ED (executive director) leaked to the WSH his story about Fort Lee issues-very unfortunate for NY/NJ relations."

Samson, in an e-mail on September 18, wrote, "This is yet another example of a story, we've seen it before, where he distances himself from an issue in the press and rides in on a white house to save the day."

-Durando acknowledged in an e-mail to a colleague that the lane closures on the bridge had become a public safety concern.

"Specifically traffic conditions required Ft Lee officers to remain out on corners, managing traffic instead of attending to public safety issues," Durando wrote in an e-mail on September 9, the first day of the lane closures. Traffic continued to be backed up in Fort Lee, New Jersey, until the lanes were opened on September 13.

In addition, the bridge general manager expressed concerns about the "inability of emergency response vehicles … to traverse the borough while responding to emergencies."

-The documents released show, local officials in New Jersey expressed anger and shock that traffic lanes from Fort Lee into New York were shut down in September during an important Jewish holiday.

Scott Rechler, vice chairman of the board of commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, e-mailed other representatives on the transportation authority that he was "disturbed" that traffic was snarled "without regard to this being the Jewish high holiday weekend."

"This is terribly disturbing and incomprehensive to me," he wrote. "How can a decision like this be made without it being discussed and considered at the highest levels?"

-Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich charged that Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police were telling residents of his community that he was responsible for access lane closures on the George Washington Bridge that snarled traffic for several days in September.

"Many members of the public have indicated to me that the Port Authority Police Officers are advising commuters in response to their complaints that this recent traffic debacle is the result of a decision that I, as the mayor, recently made," Sokolich wrote in a scathing September 12 letter to Baroni.

"This decision has wreaked havoc upon our community during the morning rush hour," Sokolich wrote. "Unquestionably this decision has negatively impacted public safety here in Fort Lee."

Sokolich ended his letter by saying: "The basis, reason, or genesis of the decision is of no consequence to me; however, its profound and adverse impact on our community is of paramount importance to me."

Christie, who has denied any involvement in the bridge scandal, apologized to Sokolich in a meeting on Thursday following a news conference where the governor said he knew nothing about suggestions top appointees orchestrated the gridlock to punish the mayor politically for not supporting Christie for re-election.

More questions arise

-While the lane closings were allegedly political payback, documents released Friday show that a traffic study did in fact occur. Officials have defended the closings of access lanes to the bridge as a legitimate traffic study.

An "early assessment" of traffic patterns on the bridge was conducted. The assessment, which was released on September 12, the fourth day of the lane closures, produced findings that detailed the number of vehicles that used the Ft. Lee section of the bridge, peak traffic hours and what the impact would be if lanes were removed or added.

He did the same when Democratic Congressman Bill Pascrell sent a letter inquiring about the traffic getting onto the bridge.

-A cache of newly released documents suggests Baroni sought reaction from the governor’s office on how he handled himself at a New Jersey Assembly committee hearing over the notorious traffic tie-ups in and around the George Washington Bridge in September.

After testifying in November before the panel investigating the matter, Baroni sent a message to David Wildstein asking if there was any “Trenton feedback.”

Wildstein responded “Good,” an answer that prompted Baroni to seek a more in-depth response.

After several exchanges between the two men, Wildstein wrote “Charlie said you did GREAT.”

In Christie’s inner-circle, the only Charlie is Charles McKenna, who serves as the governor’s chief counsel.

During a New Jersey Assembly committee hearing Thursday, Wildstein refused to answer any questions including communications about the traffic lane closures, citing his constitutional right against self-incrimination.

Democrats on the committee tell CNN they see no other logical explanation as to whom Wildstein was referring to, given the people involved in the conversation following Baroni’s testimony.

-A high-ranking New Jersey lawmaker issued a statement amid the mass document release, saying the information in the records raises more questions in the investigation.

New Jersey Assembly Deputy Speaker Wisniewski, a Democrat, specifically questioned a meeting between Gov. Chris Christie and Port Authority Chairman David Samson that occurred one week before top aides to Christie ordered the access lane closures in Fort Lee.

"Included in these documents is a reference to what appears to be a meeting between Port Authority Chairman David Samson and the governor one week before Bridget Kelly issued the order to cause 'traffic problems' in Fort Lee," he said. "By submitting these documents, Mr. Wildstein is telling us they are related to the lane closures in some way. The question that demands answering is how?"

He also questioned how much top Christie aides knew about the lane closures.

"How much of the full picture was the governor's senior staff given regarding the development of this lane closure project? With the tight control this administration maintains, it doesn't stretch the imagination that they were given more information than they let on. When they were preparing spin control, how could they not have been given the whole story?"

Advice for departing appointee

-A spokesman for Christie had dinner with Wildstein two days before the transportation official resigned over questions around the now-notorious multi-day traffic jam in Fort Lee last September, e-mails released on Friday show.

The day after the dinner in December, Wildstein thanked Michael Drewniak, the governor's spokesman, for his "sound advice" and the two men later e-mailed back and forth about how to announce his departure from the Port Authority.

In the end, the statement read, "Mr. Wildstein has been a tireless advocate for New Jersey's interests at the Port Authority. We are grateful for his commitment and dedication to the important work of the Port Authority and thank him for his service to the people of New Jersey and the region."

Really! We finally find one statesman that does the right thing regardless of party politics and the media tries to drag him through the mud for something a few idiots on his staff did. MOVE ONE!!!

January 10, 2014 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

Monomachos wants perspective, does he?

4 people died in Benghazi.
4,000 people died on 9/11/01.

YOU are the one in need of perspective.

January 10, 2014 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

PJ

It is rather difficult to believe that with all the publicity on the closing that Christie wouldn't ask his Aides what was going on. He had to know something was happening in his office. As much as I am attracted to him as a Politician I do believe he could be a Bully.

January 10, 2014 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

So - Monomachos wants perspective, does he?

Here's some perspective for you:

4 people died in Benghazi.
4,000 people died on 9/11/01.

YOU are the one in need of perspective.

January 10, 2014 05:10 pm at 5:10 pm |

Reggie53

I wish CNN would show more concern on 4 dead Americans in Benghazi than a stupid closing of lanes on a bridge. Is this news........it does not seem to matter about the deaths of these people because I do not even remember seeing such headlines when it happened. Desperate for ratings I suppose and it concerns a republican.

January 10, 2014 05:11 pm at 5:11 pm |

Ted Barnes

Let's compare the bridge closure to sequester... I'm amazed at how forgetful libs are. Didn't Obama act out with the same level of petulance when he closed the national mall, national parks, the White House and grounded the Blue Angels over his sequester being enacted. And sequester was his idea in the first place... so it gets enacted against his wishes and he decides to close small cost programs and facilities just to let us feel a little pain. There is no credible media coming from the left (CNN, CBS, NBC, MSNBC), it's just transparent opinion engineering.

January 10, 2014 05:11 pm at 5:11 pm |

sly

"Waaaah .... it's not fair! How come I haven't seen President Obama's birth certificate? I wanna see it! Waaah....".

Life is not fair.
Get over it.

Please file any complaints with President Hilllary Clinton anytime after 2016!

Ho ho ho ... The Obese One cooked his own goose. And no, I don't give a darn if he knew, or was just "misfed".

He's toast, and that's the fun part of this story. Now, y'all, go back to criticizing the referees – you always do when you lose.

January 10, 2014 05:11 pm at 5:11 pm |

Scandal???

Where is this type of investigative reporting for Benghazi, IRS, Fast & Furious, ObamaCare......

January 10, 2014 05:12 pm at 5:12 pm |

Cenphx

CNN, you idiots. That is NOT A TRAFFIC STUDY. That was a unilateral decision by Wildstein to close lanes and then sending out some engineers to count how long the backup was.

Do you work for Christie's office? No one who understands or cares to understand what a "traffic study" is, would call this a study. None of the people in the emails, none of the traffic engineers called it a study.

Some people see only one side, what about Benghazi and "Fast and Furious" ?
Despite the fact that Christie is a close friend of Mr Obama.

January 10, 2014 05:12 pm at 5:12 pm |

Steefe

If this follows the pattern of other 'scandals', as it appears to be doing, the cover-up will prove more damaging than what they are trying to hide.

January 10, 2014 05:12 pm at 5:12 pm |

Cheryl

After Christie leaves office, it'll be a long time before N.J. elects another Republican governor

January 10, 2014 05:15 pm at 5:15 pm |

Leslie

Christie is God's CNN.

January 10, 2014 05:15 pm at 5:15 pm |

Larry Dickman

Funny – CNN spends more time investigating this than they do on what happened with Benghazi, the Fast and Furious scandal.

SHAME on you CNN, your political views are clearly shining through. You are just as bad as Fox News or RIT!!!

January 10, 2014 05:15 pm at 5:15 pm |

steve-0

The study said closing those lanes was bad for traffic

January 10, 2014 05:17 pm at 5:17 pm |

Idiot Repub

Benghazi, FAF, Benghazi, Obama, Benghazi, IRS, Benghazi... Jeeze can I join your broken record club? How about worrying about just getting to the truth on this on. Bury all the politicians, Obama too... But just stop with the broken record. And if this gets buried, then what?

January 10, 2014 05:17 pm at 5:17 pm |

Leftcoastrocky

did the traffic study require that lane closures be made? no other way to do it?

January 10, 2014 05:17 pm at 5:17 pm |

srcactus

It's deafening! It will remain until the offending broadcasters ratings fall through the floor and the oppositions political operatives are horse with dry throats. Then and only then can \ responses from the accused be heard to interrogators questions.

January 10, 2014 05:17 pm at 5:17 pm |

luckjoe

CNN has their pant on fire about Christie. The view his as a threat to the liberal agenda.

January 10, 2014 05:18 pm at 5:18 pm |

frmrma

Jackson....considering that the daughter of the 91 year old woman that died of natural causes doesn't blame the delay of EMT's getting their in 7 minutes as opposed to the 4 minutes they claimed it should've taken, I find your feigned outrage rather convenient!

January 10, 2014 05:18 pm at 5:18 pm |

frmrma

"Someone dying isn't newsworthy. I wonder if you would feel different if that person had been in your family."

Considering that the daughter of the 91 year old woman that died of natural causes doesn't blame the delay of EMT's getting their in 7 minutes as opposed to the 4 minutes they claimed it should've taken, I find your feigned outrage rather convenient!